Fuel withdrawal apparatus for hydrocarbon burning devices



March 12, 1957 F. A. TROW 2,784,580

FUEL WITHDRAWAL APPARATUS FOR HYDRO-CARBON BURNING DEVICES Filed March 10, 1954 I /a a /6 5 l y 5 34a HHHHHHUU HUUUUUH 2/ /3/2 I t 7 I i? 32 /J& I

I i AZZorwvs United States Patent ice FUEL WITHDRAWAL APPARATUS FOR :HYDROCARBON BURNING -DEVICES Fayville A. Trow, Albert Lea, Minn., assignor to Queen Stove "Works, Inc, Albert Lea, Minn., a corporation of Delaware Application March 1%), 1%4, Serial No. 415,402

1 Claim. (Cl. 67-41) This inventionrelates to hydrocarbon burning mantle lanterns. Morerparticularly, it relates to apparatus for withdrawing fuel from the fuel tank ofsuch a lanternand for supplying the same to the burner apparatus of .the lantern in :such a manner as to produce a uniform and continuously bright light without flame or smoke.

hhe conventional hydro-carbon mantle lantern is pro- Vided with a fuel tank, the interior of which is maintained, through the use of a manually operatedair pump,

in-pressurizedcondition while the lantern is in operation.

The tankg pressure in such lanterns is utilized to force the "fuel out of the tank into the fuel lineand through the generator where it is w'aporized for susbequent combus- :tion at themantle. Such lanterns normally have at least .two valves in their fuel lines which extend between the ;fuel tank and generator and .upon lighting the lantern at "least two adjustments of the valves arenecessaryin order to place the lantern in proper adjustment forcontinued and tprolonged operation. One of these valves generally controls the :flowrof :fuel through the fuel line and the other wheniopenadmits compressed air-into the fuel line .to mixwith the fuel during the starting or lightingopera tion. At the initial stages of the lighting of the lantern,

the-valve in thefuel lineis opened only slightly to permit onlyt'a smallsupplyof fuel to pass through the fuel line. .At the same time, the valve controlling the admission of compressed air into the fuel line is opened to introduce:

air into the fuel line :in the proper proportions required .to provide the desired mixture for burning of the :fuel even thoughthe generator is cold. Frequently the two valves areinter-related so .that the partial opening of the valve controlling the fuel supply will cause the valve con-s trolling the airsupply to open and so that the adjustment of the fuel supply valve to open position will cause the air supply valve to close. Such a lantern is operated with 'the fuel supply valve in partially open position so long as the generator is relatively cool.

When the generator of the conventional lantern has become sufficiently heated by the above procedure, so as to vaporize the .fuel.proper1y for continued combustion without theintroduction of 'air into the fuel line, the fuel supply valve .isopened to full open position and the lan-' plication previously filed by me on January 18, 1954, en-

titled Inverted, Down-Burning Lantern, Serial Number 404,560. That application is directed toward obtaining patent protection on the novel construction of the lantern which precludes undue heating of the fuel tank, while the instant application is directed toward protecting the novel :constructionof the fuel withdrawing apparatus ,singlygand 2,784,380 Patented .Mar. 12,.1357

in combination with the elevated fuel tank and the burner apparatus.

It is a general object of my invention to provide a novel and improved hydro-carbon burning inverted mantle lantern of simple andinexpensive construction and operation.

A more specific object is to provide a novel and improved fuel withdrawal apparatus for use with ahydrocarbon burning mantle lantern, the withdrawal apparatus being inexpensive and simple in construction and in operation.

Another object is to provide novel and improvedfuel withdrawing apparatus for hydro-carbon burning mantle lanterns constructed so as to require fewer parts for operation of the lantern.

Another object is to provide novel and improvedfuel withdrawing apparatus for hydro-carbon burning mantle lanterns constructed so as to eliminate the need for a separate ,air control valve in addition to a fuel control valve in order to commence operation of the lantern and continue to operate the same for prolonged periods. I

Another object is to providea fuel withdrawal apparatus for a hydro-carbon burningmantle lantern constructed to enable the user to light and utilize the lantern through a single adjustment of the .fuel valve.

Another object is to provide .a novel fuel withdrawal apparatus in a hydrocarbon burning mantle lantern arranged and constructed to automatically commence to utilize gravity to provide fuel to the burner apparatus after the generator has become heated sufficiently to vaporize the liquid fuel.

These and other objects and advantages of my invention will more fully appear from the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of my invention;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view of the same;

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the same embodiment of my invention with portions thereof broken away to more clearly show its construction; and

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view of the fuel tank showing part of the fuel withdrawal apparatus in elevation and part in section.

One embodiment of my invention may include as shown in Figs. l4 an open framework or cage 5 made of heavy wire or rods 6 of small diameter and shaped to constitute a stand for the remainder of the lantern. The rods 6 which extend vertically as best shown in Figs. 1 and 2 have free upper ends 7 which are curved outwardly to extend through holes 8 formed in the burner case 9 to accommodate the same .By extending outwardly through the holes 8 the upper end portions 7 of the vertical rods 6 secure the cage 5 firmly to the remainder of the lantern so as to provide the necessary rigidity to support the lantern in an upright position when the cage is placed upon the upper surface of a table or the like.

The burner case 9 as best shown in Figs. 1 and 2'is a partition or separator member which has vertical side walls 9a and a horizontal portion 9b in which a central opening is formed, the opening being defined by an upwardly extending annular flange 9c. The burner case .9, it can be readily seen, is thus somewhat in the shape of a hood member relative to the mantle supporting means to be more clearly described hereinafter.

Secured to the upstanding annular flange by spot welding, or .other satisfactory means is a cylindrical chimney :member 10. For convenience this will be re ferredtoascthe primary chimney member'since it is the one which is disposed directly above the mantle supof the deflector 1S.

porting means. Mounted atop the chimney member is a hoodindicated generally as H. This hood H includes an annular plate 12 at its bottom, the plate having a downwardly-extending flange 12a which defines a center opening therein and an upwardly extending peripheral flange 1211. It also includes an annular plate 13 at its top, the plate having a downwardly extending peripheral flange 13a which cooperates with the upwardly extending flange 12b to hold therebetween a rigid annular hood collar 14 which as best shown in Figs. 1 and 2 constitutes an open grill Work with a plurality of vertically extending openings 14a therein to permit the hot gases to escape outwardly therethrough. v

A pair of posts 15 extend downwardly through the pcripheral portions of the plate 13 and also downwardly 7 through the peripheral portions of the annular plate 12.

These posts 15 are threaded at their upper end to receive cap nuts 16. A spacer sleeve 17 is carried by each of the posts 15 to separate the lower annular plate 12 from the horizontally extending ring plate deflector 18. The posts extend through the deflector plate 18 through openings provided therefor and through a spacing sleeve "19 which separates the deflector plate 18 from a bracket 20 into the lower end of which the post 15 is threaded. The bracket 20 is welded to the upper surface of an annular donut shaped fuel tank 21. A bail B is also pivotally connected to the top of the fuel tank 21 at opposite sides thereof adjacent the brackets 20 in a manner well known to the art and in order to support the entire lantern from above when desired.

The fuel tank 21 is supported by a tank stud 22, the upper end of which extends into the fuel tank and is fixedly secured thereto by welding or the like as best shown in Fig. 2. The lower end portion of the stud 22 is internally threaded to receive therein in threaded engagement the threaded reduced upper end of a burner case stud 23. A fiber washer 24 is carried by the stud 23 on its reduced end portion and lies between the tank stud 22 and the burner case 9 through which the tank studs extend. There is a pair of 'such tank studs and burner case studs arranged as described above, which serve to positively secure the annular fuel tank 21 to the burner case 9 and the cage or stand 5.

The lower end portions of the burner case studs 23 are threaded and extend through a globe support plate 25 and through a globe ring 26 which cooperates when secured to the burner case studs 23 by nuts 27 to support a glass globe 28 which as shown has an opening 29 at the bottom and a relatively large opening 30 at the top. The globe ring 26 engages the upper peripheral portions of the globe 28 and holds the same securely to protect the mantle 31 from excessive drafts, etc. The necessary supply of oxygen to support the combustion of the hydrocarbon fuel is supplied by the movement of fresh and relatively cool air upwardly through the opening 29.

The fuel tank 21 is provided with a conventional manually operated air pump indicated generally as 32 with which to maintain pressure within the tank. It is also provided with a filler opening 33 and filler cap 34 which when tightened seals off the opening 33 so that the interior of the tank 21 may be pressurized through operation of the pump 32. The fuel tank 21 is spaced from the chimney 10 and the space therebetween is divided by an auxiliary chimney 35, the upper end of which is spot welded to the depending annular flange 18a The lower end of the auxiliary chimney 35 is open and terminates at an elevation above the lower end of the chimney 10. For the sake of reference the space within the chimney 10 may be referred to as a first or primary chimney space and the space between the chimney 10 and the auxiliary chimney 35 may be referred to as a second chimney space while the space between the auxiliary chimney and the fuel tank 21 may be referred to as a third chimney space. lower ends of both of the chimneys 10 and the auxiliary The chimney 35 are surrounded by an annular grill or tank collar 36 which extends between the bottom of the fuel tank 21 and the horizontal portion 9b of the burner case 9 which is held in place by the same in cooperation with the fiber washers which preclude lateral shifting of the same.

Extending upwardly through the bottom of the fuel tank 21 is a fuel withdrawal tube 37 having a bore of approximately of an inch. This withdrawal tube is open at the top and has a very small orifice 38 in its lower portion which is encircled by a metal screen 39. The size of the opening 38 is in the nature of twelve thousandths of an inch in diameter. The upper end portion of the tube 37 is disposed adjacent the top wall of the tank 21 as shown. This withdrawal tube 37 is connected by its lower end portion to a needle valve 40 which regulates the discharge of gasoline into the feed tube 41. The feed tube 41 extends downwardly to the burner apparatus indicated generally as A and connects with the generator tube 42 which extends toward the more central portion of the lantern as best shown in Fig. 3. A clean-out rod 43 is mounted in the feed tube 41 adjacent the point where the latter connects with the generator tube 42. The generator tube 42 is connected with the mixing chamber 44 as best shown in Fig. 3. The gasoline vapor is mixed with the desirable quantities of air for proper combustion in the mixing chamber 44, the air entering the same through an upwardly facing opening or intake 45. Extending downwardly from the mixing chamber 44 is a mantle supporting means 46 which carries a burner tip 47 at its lower end. Each of the elements 42, 44, 45, 46 and 47 are considered part the mantle 31. The lantern will light immediately and remain lighted without additional adjustment thereto. There is no need to further adjust the valve 40 after the generator tube has been sufficiently heated as is the case in most lanterns. Most hydrocarbon burning lanterns take their fuel from the top of the fuel tank and as a result when lighting the same the valve can only be opened approximately one-fourth of a turn until the generator is sufliciently heated whereafter the valve may be opened to two or three full turns. In my lantern I have completely eliminated the need for making a second adjustment to the valve after the initial stages of the burning operation.

While the valve 40 is closed the liquid fuel extends upwardly within the feed tube 37 to the same elevation as the general level of the fuel outside the tube. When the valve 40 is initially opened the liquid fuel within the tube 37 is forced downwardly into the fuel line or feed tube 41 and into the generator and the rest of the burner apparatus by the force of the pressure within the fuel tank 21. Thereafter a relatively large supply of compressed air will be forced downwardly through the withdrawal tube 37 picking up with it a relatively small supply of fuel at the orifice 38 as the fuel moves inwardly therethrough. In this manner the correct proportions of air and fuel are mixed together so that when the mantle 31 is llghted the lamp almost immediately commences to Y burn in the desired fashion. The valve 40 is opened to a full open position at once and no second adjustment thereof is necessary. So long as the generator has not been heated up sufiiciently to vaporize the liquid fuel the compressed air within the fuel tank 21 will continue to rush downwardly through the withdrawal tube 37 and through the fuel line 41 to the burner apparatus, providing for the latter the desired proportions of gasoline and air.- After are-1,580

erator tube is sufiiciently'heated, the liquid fuelwill back up into the fuel withdrawal tube 37 and seal off the same so that no longer will any of the compressed air at the top of the fuel tank 21be forced downwardly therethrough into the fuel line. In other words, after the generator has been heated sufiiciently to properly vaporize the fuel of itself, the fuel withdrawal tube will seal off and the fuel will be-provided to the generator tube 42 as a result of gravity, the fuel passing inwardly through the orifice 38 and descending through the fuel line 41 to the generator tube.

I am not able to entirely explainwlrat causes this sealing off action referred tom the previous :paragraph to take place,but lam convinced that this is what actuallydoes take place because after the generator tube has been adequately heated it is no longer necessary to carry an induced air pressure in the fuel'tank and the fuel moves downwardly through the fuel line 41 as a result of gravity and the elevated position of the fuel tank relative to the burner apparatus. In other words, it is not necessary to make primary and later secondary adjustments of the valve 40 in order to have the lantern operate properly as is the case with the conventional hydrocarbon burning mantle lantern. On the contrary, the valve is opened to a full open position when the lantern is initially lighted and it need not be touched thereafter for continued efficient operation of the lantern.

As the mantle burns the combustion gases emanating from the burner tip 47, it heats the air passing upwardly therearound and utilizes some of the air to support the combustion of the hydro-carbon fuel. The resultant heated air and combustion gases pass upwardly through the opening 30 and into and upwardly through the chimney chamber 10. These combustion gases and heated air pass upwardly into the hood H and move outwardly and laterally through the openings of the hood collar 14. Thus the air which comes in direct contact with the mantle and the combustion gases is confined throughout its upward passage and it is discharged laterally from the hood H. Of course, the passage of the hot air through the chimney heats the chimney 10 so that the air between the auxiliary chimney 35 and the chimney 10 will be warmed and as a result will move upwardly with cooler air replacing the same. As a result I have an upward flow of relatively cool air moving parallel to the air passing through the chimney 10 until it is discharged from the upper end of the auxiliary chimney 35 whereupon it is deflected outwardly and laterally by the annular plate 12 which acts as a flange on the chimney 10. Thus it will be seen that this flow of air flows substantially horizontally and outwardly at an elevation above the upper surface of the fuel tank 21. It will be seen that the lower end of the second chimney space which is between the chimney 10 and the chimney 35 has free and ready access to the outer atmosphere via the openings of the tank collar 36. Likewise the third chimney space which extends between the auxiliary chimney 35 and the fuel tank 21 is in free communication with the outer atmosphere via these openings in the tank collar.

A small amount of the heat carried by the air passing upwardly between the chimney 1t) and the auxiliary chimney 35 is absorbed by the chimney member 35 and a small amount of this is transmitted to the air between the chimney 35 and the fuel tank 21 thereby causing the air to rise upwardly as shown by the arrows. As a result, I have a third upwardly passing flow of air which is moving parallel to the air passing through the chimney 10 and through the second chimney space between the chimney 10 and the auxiliary chimney 35. This air when it reaches the outwardly extending flange 18 is deflected outwardly in horizontal flow across the upper surface of the fuel tank 21. It will be readily appreciated that there will be a sharp temperature gradient between the air flows passing through the second and third chimney spaces. It will also be readily seen that there will thus be provided .two separate "air flows moving horizontally across and above theupper surface of the fuel tank 21 and between the fuel tank 21 andthe outwardly moving combustion gases whichemanate from the hood H. I

My fuelwithdrawal apparatushas anumber of'distinct advantages over the fuel withdrawal apparatus in conventional hydrocarbon burning mantle lanterns. One distinct advantage is that my apparatus is substantially less expensive and more simple to construct than the fuel withdrawal apparatus of the other previously known lanterns. I haveeliniinated the need of at least one additional valve member since it is nollonger necessary to have a valve member to control the introduction of compressed air with a reduced supply of gasoline during the initial stages of the lantern lighting operation. My operation automatically provides the desired proportions of gasoline and air during the initial stages of the lighting operation and it also automatically shuts off the introduction of compressed air after it is no longer needed in the burning of the lantern.

Another distinct advantage which my fuel Withdraw-a1 apparatus has is that it is no longer necessary when using my withdrawal apparatus to make more than one adjustment to the lantern in order to use the same. In other words, through the simple adjustment involved in turning the valve 40 from closed to open position my lantern may be lighted and operated for a prolonged period without further adjustment to the valve member 40 or to any other valve member. This obviates the need for continued attention to the lantern for a period of several minutes after initially lighting the mantle as is the case when using the conventional hydro-carbon burning mantle lantern.

In addition to the above, it should be noted that I have obviated the need for repeatedly utilizing a hand pump such as the hand pump 32 to maintain a head of pressure in the fuel tank 21 so long as the lantern continues to operate. In burning a conventional hydro-carbon burn ing mantle lantern it is necessary to repeatedly operate such a pump in order to provide the necessary pressure to continuously operate the lantern. My fuel withdrawal apparatus automatically commences to utilize the principle of gravity to provide the fuel to the burner apparatus upon the adequate heating of the generator sufficiently to vaporize the liquid fuel for subsequent combustion.

Thus it can be seen that I have provided novel and improved fuel withdrawal apparatus wherein I have eliminated at least one valve member and. have eliminated the need for a series of adjustments before the lantern may be utilized Without repeated attention thereto. At the same time I have obviated any need for repeatedly operating a pump in order to insure that the lantern will continue to operate over a prolonged period. My lantern will continue to operate so long as the upper surface of the fuel in the fuel tank 21 covers the orifice 38.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, arrangement and proportions of the parts without departing from the scope of my invention which consists of the matter shown and described herein and set forth in the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

A hydro-carbon burning lantern comprising a frame, a fuel tank supported by said frame, a main burner mounted on said frame, a mantle mounted on said main burner, a mixing chamber connected to said main burner in fluid-transmitting relation, a generator connected to said mixing chamber in fluid-transmitting relation, a single fuel line connecting said fuel tank with said generator and transmitting fuel thereto from said tank, said fuel tank being disposed above said generator, said mixing chamber, and said main burner, a single valve member mounted in said fuel line and adapted to open and close the same as desired to permit or prevent the passage of fuel therethrough as desired, said fuel tank having a bottom andtop wall and being scalable to permit an induced air pressure to be built up within its interior, air

pumpmechanism mounted adjacent to said fuel tank and supported by said frame and communicating with the interior of said fuel tank to create air pressure above A said orifice being substantially less than the diameter of the fluid transmitting passage of said tubular member,

whereby said mantle may be lighted after opening said valve without pre-heating said generator and will continue to burn in aneflicient manner without adjustment of said valve, said burner being the sole burner structure on said lantern and being operable without pre-heating of the same or said generator.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,832,503 Rasmussen Nov. 17, 1931 2,590,434 Cahill Mar. 25, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 43,757 France June 11, 1934 773,613 France Sept. 3, 1934 

